As Ghana’s largest multilateral development and trade partner, the EU and its Member States currently finance about half of all Official Development Assistance (ODA) received by the Ghanaian Government. Formalized cooperation between Ghana and the EU begun after the first Lome Convention in 1975 and the two parties have enjoyed fruitful economic and political exchanges which have improved and been strengthened over the years.

          The 2020 Ghana-EU Political Dialogue would convene all the relevant national stakeholders in Ministries, Departments and Agencies and representatives of the EU Member Countries accredited to Ghana to discuss pertinent issues in the following broad areas: the political situations of both Ghana and the EU, the Economic Partnership Agreement implementation, Ghana and the African Continental Free Trade Area, ECOWAS matters, Ghana’s digital economy, Anti Money Laundering/Combatting the financing of Terrorism and cooperation on regional, maritime and cyber security. Other matters to be discussed would include: migration, implementation of climate change matters, sustainable forestry, the future of the cocoa industry, sustainable fisheries and Ghana’s readiness to include “green jobs” in its employment space. Of major importance also, would be the discussions on the 2021-2027 programme cycle for Ghana-EU cooperation.

          It is envisaged that the outcome of the 2020 Political Dialogue would foster strengthened linkages between the different aspects of Ghana-EU relations, for better cooperation to enhance coordination, synergy and complementarity for the mutual benefit of the two parties.